Last week I had to take my father to an urgent care clinic while he was visiting me from out of state. We were both in the exam room when a woman walks in and introduces herself. "Hi, I'm Jane (not her real name) and I'm the nurse". Even her name tag said "Nurse" under it. After she got done taking my dad's VS, I asked her where she went to nursing school since I am currently in nursing school at a college close by. She started stumbling over her words and eventually told me that she had not gone to school at all and wasn't a nurse. She's not even a certified nursing assistant. She simply had received on-the-job training to be doing what she was doing.
As a nursing student who is working extremely hard to earn the title of "Nurse" I was furious! And if she's wearing a name tag that was issued from her from her place of employment, they should be ashamed for misrepresenting this woman as a nurse to their patients. Isn't this illegal, or at least unethical? Am I just over reacting here?
I have also felt that calling a medical assistant, CNA or other healthcare unlicensed worker a nurse is an offense to those of us who worked and paid dearly for the title.
Moreover, this is a money thing. I office I worked at called their medical assistants "nurses" so that the patients would think they were speaking w someone with a base of knowledge and experience. This was not the case. I spoke with the manager about it, but nothing was ever done. I left the office, there were other unprofessional things going on too.
Good luck in school. Nursing school is every bit as difficult as medical school, but without all the support medical students and residents get.
I agree with the majority of the comments on this post. If frustrates me to no end to hear MA's or CNA's calling themselves nurses. As someone else stated, be proud of your title no matter what it is, but be HONEST about it. I would much rather a person introduce themself to me as the Dr's assistant, then for someone to introduce themselves to me as the nurse only to find out that they arent.
Just wanted to let you all know that I called the clinic that this incidence happened at. I spoke with someone who identified themselves as the "manager" and told him what happened and that I was deeply concerned about their facility misleading patients into believing that they were receiving care from a NURSE. I have a meeting with their operational manager and one of the owners ( a physician). I was actually surprised when they asked me to come in and talk with them. I don't want to start a giant issue. I just don't feel comfortable with what happened. I meet with them tomorrow. Will let you know what they say.
You are NOT overreacting! I went through nursing school as a single parent. While in school (also working my butt off to succeed!) I noticed that my family doctors office referred to the MA's as nurses. I made it a point to tell my doctor how offended I was, and have not had one referred to as a 'nurse' since. Good for you for taking pride in your education and your future profession!
I have also felt that calling a medical assistant, CNA or other healthcare unlicensed worker a nurse is an offense to those of us who worked and paid dearly for the title.
Moreover, this is a money thing. I office I worked at called their medical assistants "nurses" so that the patients would think they were speaking w someone with a base of knowledge and experience. This was not the case. I spoke with the manager about it, but nothing was ever done. I left the office, there were other unprofessional things going on too.
Good luck in school. Nursing school is every bit as difficult as medical school, but without all the support medical students and residents get.
Hi everyone, I can see everyone point about C.N.A calling themself Nurse. We have to introduce ourself out of our title is. Me, I introduce myself as Hi my name is Heather, I am your Certified Nursing Assistant for the evening. Rite now I am in school for becoming an R.N. We as a student introduce ourself as Hi my name is Heather, I am a student in training for a R.N. I hear alot of C.N.A introduce themself as an nurse and I confront them rite their and then. How I put it is when I am helping another C.N.A and I hear that coming out of her/his mouth, I turn around and said to the pt is Hi my name is Heather and this is Jone we are the C.N.A for this evening and I take her/him in the hallway and said something to them and get the R.N and said something to them too. This is a very good topic:D
I know what you mean, I needed to update my PPD for school and I contacted my dr's office the person who answered the phone (probably an MA) told me I could come in later because she was not a "regular nurse" and that the "regular nurse " would be there later. I got off the phone like what the ? I lost a little faith in my dr's office that day.
Interesting, and I can understand why you feel like this. However what does the word 'nurse' mean or imply. A mother can 'nurse a child' a wife can 'nurse' her husband. A strange can 'nurse' you. It depends on the context and the 'consent'. She could of said she was the nurse looking after you, and if you asked further, as long as she does not state any false quialifiactions or carry out any inapproprate practice then she would of not done anything illegal. For example did you know that anyone can practice as a psychologist, put a sign up at there door, charge money without any formal quailifications. This is not illegal, as one can 'counsel' anyone, again as long as its does no harm, and the individual being 'treated' should make sure that the person 'treating' has the relevant registration and qualifications.
Interesting, and I can understand why you feel like this. However what does the word 'nurse' mean or imply. A mother can 'nurse a child' a wife can 'nurse' her husband. A strange can 'nurse' you. It depends on the context and the 'consent'. She could of said she was the nurse looking after you, and if you asked further, as long as she does not state any false quialifiactions or carry out any inapproprate practice then she would of not done anything illegal. For example did you know that anyone can practice as a psychologist, put a sign up at there door, charge money without any formal quailifications. This is not illegal, as one can 'counsel' anyone, again as long as its does no harm, and the individual being 'treated' should make sure that the person 'treating' has the relevant registration and qualifications.
Actually, the whole point is that this IS illegal to do. She isn't the "nurse" looking after you if she isn't a nurse (RN or LPN). She is the "person," "patient care tech," or "CNA," etc, looking after you. It doesn't just mean that you claim specifically to have licensure when you do not, the term "nurse" is legally protected. To say you are the "nurse" does fall in to that specification.
I don't know about the psychologist issue, but if someone can do that, then it's not the same. Maybe psychologist isn't a legally protected title, but "nurse" is.
Nursing in the context of physically nursing a baby is obviously a whole other definition of the word, and doesn't make sense in your example of someone saying they are a "nurse" that is caring for you.
Specializes in orthopedics, trauma/ acute surgical.
I have two funny stories about this topic. A few years ago, I was admitting a patient in her early 20's for a perforated appendicitis. As I was doing the pre-op orders, she asked me if I liked working in a hospital because she was a "nurse" in a medical clinic. I told her several reasons why I liked working in my unit (I work in a level 1 trauma center and at the time, our unit was divided into 6 trauma and 6 surgical beds). When I asked her about her duties in that clinic, I realized that she was a medical assistant. She proceeded to tell me that the one and only difference between RNs and MAs was that the MAs were not allowed to start IVs. I told her that if that was the only difference, then she should be able to explain to me the line of treatment for a perf appy including its anatomical landmarks and surrounding organs, the type of meds used and their possible side effects, fluid resuscitation and types of fluids, nursing interventions and plan of care, etc. Needless to say, she stood quiet for some time until she said "I thought the RNs just did what the doctors told them to do". I told her that if that was the case, why would we have to go to college for 4 years + to obtain our degree. I didn't said that to humiliate her, but to inform herself before coming to those conclusions.
I completely understand your frustration with this person misrepresenting themselves as a nurse. Back in the late 80's when I was young and very naive and working as a medical assistant, I remember the doctor would tell the patients, "I will send the nurse in." I didn't wear any such name tag displaying the title, but I remember thinking I was cooler or something like that he referred to me in that manner. Not proud of that now, but like I said I was very young and naive. Atleast I had a CMA and EMT cert at the time and was in nursing school, but I should not have let him refer to me as the "nurse" but who was I at 19 to correct one of the most pompous doctors I have ever met in my career? I also remember being asked on occasion if I was infact an RN and had to confess I was a CMA going to nursing school at the time, and do remember feeling rather uncomfortable about it too. Now that I am an actual RN and have been for some time and know how hard I worked to get to where I am now, it aggrivates me when people misrepresent themselves as a "nurse". I also know it happens more often then not. There are people working in medical offices all over the place who are "unlicensed assistive personel" using the title of "nurse" who get their training on the job and perform procedures on unsuspecting people all the time. Many physicans don't wish to pay the salary for an RN to work in the office and take the cheaper way out by utilizing these unlicensed assistive personel. Not to say you can't learn from on the job training, because we all have learned most of our clinical skills from actually doing them somewhere on someone under supervision- I just agree that with the fact that it's aggrivating when people take the title we work hard for for granted.
I disagree. Most patients call anyone they see in a 'uniform' 'nurse' and surly that's fine. If i was legally representing you, as a misrepresentation of title, then I would want to know what 'nurse' had 'done' to the patient. Any inappropriate treatment, discussion etc? Its very interesting medical law, and there are a few stated cases on 'nurses' being misrepresented as 'doctors' and the issue of consent.
Hopalong Casady
6 Posts
I have also felt that calling a medical assistant, CNA or other healthcare unlicensed worker a nurse is an offense to those of us who worked and paid dearly for the title.
Moreover, this is a money thing. I office I worked at called their medical assistants "nurses" so that the patients would think they were speaking w someone with a base of knowledge and experience. This was not the case. I spoke with the manager about it, but nothing was ever done. I left the office, there were other unprofessional things going on too.
Good luck in school. Nursing school is every bit as difficult as medical school, but without all the support medical students and residents get.
Laurie